With the Flip of a Coin
by Trousers in Small Jars
Summary: A Jersey Boys and Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story Crossover: Who knew that with one coin flip one of music's brightest stars would be dead? Tommy sure didn't.


A/N- This my entry for the credible crossover contest in the Fireplace. It is a Jersey Boys and Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (the show not the movie) crossover. Since both fandoms are based on real people, the names are real but this story is baised on the information presented in both plays not on the real events. Just making this clear to anyone that may think this is a real person fic. Names are real, but once again this is baised on the information that was presented in both shows. Oh, BTW the Tommy I am referring to is Tommy Allsup. Int he play they only give his first name so I am sticking with that.

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It was February 2, 1984. Oh, how Tommy hated this night. It was the night he should have boarded that plane in Clear Lake, Iowa and at one in the morning of February 3, 1959 was when he should have died. He had gone to numerous priests and therapists trying to lift the guilt off of his shoulders but there was not way he could. In his mind he was the one who had killed Richie Valens.

All because of that stupid coin toss. Why had he agreed to it? He should have just insisted on staying on the plane and not have given in to Richie's pleas. Then it would have been him lying in that field instead of Richie. Who would have cared if Buddy Holly's guitar player had perished? But instead one of the most talented kids out there was dead after only a few months in the music business. Richie had never been on a small plane before and thought it would be interesting. He also did not want to ride on that cold broken down bus the tour was traveling in or at least trying to travel in. After that coin had been flipped, Richie's fate had been sealed. Richie had "won" the coin toss and Tommy had been a little miffed at having to travel on the bus. Little did he know it was Richie who had lost that coin toss. The thing that had pained Tommy the most, was that Richie was only seventeen. He was a kid. A kid who had hit it big fast and was just starting his career. He had been twenty-seven at the time but that night when he and the other members of the "Winter Dance Party" tour had been awoken in the middle of the night to be informed that three people who had been with them just a few hours before were now dead, he had felt a heaviness fall on his shoulders, a weight that had not been lifted since. That radio report announcing the death of three of music's brightest stars was constantly playing over in his mind. He knew it by heart, unfortunately.

He could never be alone on this night, mostly because he was afraid of what he may do to himself. He had moved to Nashville several years ago and it was now his home. His friend, Bob Gaudio who had written and produced several hits for The Four Seasons and Frankie Valli, had invited to come see one of Frankie's shows tonight. Bob knew the funk he got into every year this night approached and it just so happened they would be playing Nashville tonight. Bob had long given up performing but he still wrote and produced songs for Frankie and occasionally he would join him on tour to produce his shows. Bob had greeted Tommy when he arrived and lead him to the box seats he had purchased. Tommy was very quiet and thanked Bob politely for the seats. Bob left to attend to some business backstage and Tommy was alone in the large box. Bob returned quickly and the show began

Tommy watched and throughly enjoyed the concert but in his mind he was slowly replaying the events of Feburary 2, 1959. He remembered the exact order of the performances, the songs, what had been happening backstage and just about anything else that had happened in the Surf Ballroom that night. He glanced down at his watch, 9:34pm. It was the exact moment that in 1959 he had flipped Richie for a seat in the plane. The only reason he remembered was because he had looked down at his watch when he pulled the coin out of his pocket for Richie to flip it. Tommy tried to refocus he attention on the show but he could not. Everything from that coin toss on was now replaying in his head in fast motion, making his head throb. He brought his hand up to his to rub his temples trying to rid himself of this awful headache.

Bob noticed his friend's distress and tapped his arm whispering, "You, okay?" Tommy nodded hoping Bob would drop the issue. Bob seemed satisfied with his answer and turned back to the stage. The concert was winding down and Frankie was going into his signature song, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" which would signify the end of the concert. Tommy's head began spinning more and more. The show in his mind was in it's final encore and he was onstage with his guitar glaring at Richie for "winning" the coin toss. He remembered thinking, _Dammit, now I am going to freeze my ass off on that bus while Richie sits in my seat on a nice, cushy, heated plane. Stupid, coin toss. _He still hated that coin toss but for different reasons now. Also, he had not used a coin toss to make a decision since. Tommy had not noticed that the house lights were up and that the concert had ended.

"Tommy, the show's over." Bob said breaking Tommy away from his thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking." Tommy replied absently. Bob did not have to ask what he was thinking about. It was a well known fact in the music industry that Tommy had flipped a coin with Richie Valens for a seat on the plane that had crashed and claimed the lives of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens. No one blamed Tommy for this, except Tommy himself. Bob hated to see his friend do this to himself. There was not amount of talking he could do that would convince Tommy it was not his fault.

"Frankie and I are going to get something to eat after the show, you want to come?" Bob asked hoping that he would be able to help his friend egt through the night.

"No, thanks." Tommy stood and put on his coat. "I need to get home."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Tommy and Bob said their goodbyes and Tommy drove himself home. He checked the clock in his car and it was just after midnight. The roads were quiet and he was alone. The day the music died, indeed.

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A/N- Hmmm... I actually liked the way that turned out. A little different then the story I had originally planned. I hope you liked it and reviews are always appriciated!


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